Irony, dead at 1,200
Irony, “a literary technique originally used in Greek tragedy by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character,” died suddenly last month. It was 1,200 years old.
Irony had been ill for decades, but finally died Nov. 22 when the Nevada Association of School Boards recognized the Nevada Mining Association as the 2014 “Organizational Friend to K-12 Public Education.”
“The Nevada Mining Association may not bill itself as an education advocacy organization; however, it is clear that the Mining Association does just that in numerous ways across the State,” the Association said in a news release. “Over the past several years, the Nevada Mining Association has worked closely with the Nevada Association of School Boards, constantly demonstrating support of programs and services through generous contributions that directly and indirectly impact student achievement.”
Doctors said Irony choked upon reading the above. Efforts to resuscitate Irony were unsuccessful, and it was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
(Because you know who else the Nevada Mining Association has worked closely with in Nevada? The Coalition to Defeat the Margin Tax, a PAC organized to defeat The Education Initiative, which would have created a business tax for the actual support of K-12 schools. The Nevada Mining Association donated at least $225,000 to that effort. The tax was defeated on the November ballot 79 percent to 21 percent.)
Irony is survived by Tragedy and Comedy. Services are pending. In lieu of flowers, Irony’s relatives ask that the state of Nevada finally pass a damn business tax already.
